


Caramel at 215

by Dmsilvis



Series: All the SPN bingos [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cats, Cute, M/M, Secret Admirer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-17 22:45:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19964464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dmsilvis/pseuds/Dmsilvis
Summary: A cat interrupts Sam's yoga almost daily, bringing messages from a secret admirer





	Caramel at 215

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Gabriel-spn-bingo (2019), @idabbleincrazy  
> Square filled Sabriel and Cats
> 
> Also written for @spngenrebingo (2019)  
> Square filled: neighbor AU
> 
> Written for @samwinchesterbingo  
> Square filled: Free
> 
> Thank you to Threshie for being my beta

Sam's townhouse was in a very quiet gated community. It was the only splurge he afforded himself when he got his first promotion at his law office.

He was tired of small apartments in high-rises in noisy crowded cities. When he heard about this complex only half an hour outside the city, he jumped on it. The application process and the background check alone took months and several interviews.

The townhouses had an old feel to them, even though they were newly built. The architecture had details that gave it character. Red brick walls, casement windows that opened outward; Sam fell in love with all of those touches. An honest-to-God white picket fence divided the backyards of all the tenants. There was a garage, a shed, and all-modern amenities inside the house, while keeping an old world feel. 

He was shocked to learn that the community was surprisingly relaxed. Most of his neighbors were not stuffy snobs, quote the opposite really. There were no horribly strict rules as far as what homeowners could do and not do. As long as your landscaping was well kept, that was about all they cared about. That, and that you didn't disturb the peace with overly loud to-dos.

Sam adored his townhouse and his community.

Even Dean liked it when he visited, and that was saying a lot. 

Sam's life was fairly routine. He got up every morning, went for a run, did his yoga, ate his breakfast, and went to work. He came home from work, had dinner, watched TV or read, and went to bed. On weekends he went out with friends or caught up with family. That was his social time.

Given the routine of his daily life, it surprised him when a small tan/orangish-colored cat started visiting him every day during his yoga. Sam liked to do his yoga with his windows open. He liked the fresh air and the morning sunlight. One morning while in the middle of downward dog he felt something jump onto his butt. Looking over his shoulder, he saw a small long-haired tan cat standing there staring at him without a care in the world.

Sam slowly lowered his knees to the ground, which unfortunately made the cat dig his claws into Sam's backside. Sam hissed at this but kept his cool, and the cat didn't adjusted itself to what Sam was doing. When situated, he scratched the cat behind the ears. 

"Hey there little guy, you’re kind of pretty." Sam lifted the tail on the cat. "Oh, I'm sorry! ‘Little girl’ you’re kind of pretty. Where did you come from, huh?" the cat looked well cared for and had a collar, so Sam was assuming it belonged to someone in his community. "Serves me right for leaving my windows wide open."

As Sam reached for the cat's collar to check for tags, he noticed a note tied to it that read Hiya 215, nice rump.

Sam wasn't sure what to do with that. 215 was his house number, but there was no signature on the note. He scratched the cat behind the ears again to get her to stay while he flipped the note over and reached for a pen. 

He wrote back on the note: Thanks? Who are you? Nice cat. What's her name?

And then he placed the cat outside and closed his window. Sam went through his day and night wondering who had noticed him. There were a couple of women who seemed interested in him, but they had never spoken. There was a man on a corner lot who smiled and went as far as to wink at him during his morning run. Still, who had noticed enough to send their cat to deliver a note? How did you even train a cat to do that? Did they leave the cat on his window sill and run away? 

Sam intentionally kept his windows open in the coming weeks to allow the cat in, and a few times a week she would show up with a new note for him.

Hey 215. Her name is Caramel, she was left in a box with several others abandoned outside my work. I saw you help Mildred with her groceries yesterday. You seem like a nice guy.

Sam’s reply: It was sweet of you to take the cat in. I really like talking to Mildred, she's a firecracker. I notice you didn't tell me who you are.

***

215 I wonder what kind of TV you watch?

Reply: Documentaries mostly, history channel. So… who are you?  
***

215, you leave in a spiffy suit every day. I wonder what kind of job you have? I own a bakery in the city.

Reply: Caramel snagged my bacon this morning. I hope she's not on a special diet. I'm a lawyer. A bakery, huh? Do I have to start visiting bakeries hoping to find you or are you going to tell me your name?

***

215, Mildred says I should stop being a coward and invite you to dinner. I usually have so much left over from the bakery that she and I have a snack and tea almost every evening.

Reply: Fine, I'll ask Mildred who you are.

***

215, I saw a bow legged guy visit your house this weekend. I'm sorry if I'm creeping you out with these notes when I probably should have asked you earlier, but are you involved with anyone?

Reply: Mildred says it's not her secret to tell, but assures me you have the best intentions. The bow legged man was my brother. He brought pie from a bakery in the city, Taste of Heaven Bakery. I wonder if it's your bakery. No, I'm not involved with anyone.

***

215 do you know Ro? The red-haired woman who thinks she's a witch in 209? She thinks you're cute too. I guess I have some competition.

Reply: I’ve talked to Rowena and she scares me. :) Tell me more about you? Like your name. Why won't you tell me more?  
***

215 because I don't think you would ever go for me. You seem so different from me.

Reply: Opposites attract, right?  
***

He didn't see the cat again for a few days. Dean was visiting again this weekend, so Sam had decided to walk up the street from his office to Taste of Heaven Bakery to grab some "Dean food" and part of him was hoping that his mystery person worked here as well.

He got three pies, 2 dozen various donuts, and 4 loaves of the best wheat bread he ever tasted.

The girl behind the counter, "Alice" according to her name tag, looked at his order with wide eyes. 

"You feeding an army or something?"

Sam laughed. 

"No, just my brother." She started ringing up his order when a man came out of the back.

"Running to the bank Alice, Balth is in the office if you need--" The man stopped and stared at Sam, dead in the eyes. Sam thought it was odd. "--Uh, if you need anything at all, I'll be right back."

Sam had a hunch. This man looked a lot like the guy who winked at him all those weeks ago. When the man left, Sam cleared his throat. "I take it that was the manager? I'll have to tell him his products are wonderful."

Alice let out an indifferent sigh. 

"Yeah, that's Gabriel, he's the owner. Does all the cooking, he's good to work for." She shrugged and handed Sam his bags. Another man, tall, blond, and bright blue eyes, came out of the back. 

"Ah, talking up our boss, dear one?" Brittish accent guy held out his hand to shake Sam's. "I'm Balthazar. My cousin Gabriel owns this fine establishment." 

Alice smiled. 

"He acts tough, but he's a softie. He's the reason we all own cats now, he couldn't stand the thought of taking them to a shelter." 

Balthazar piped up, "And my cat is a little arse, I'll tell you that! Jealous as can be. I can't bring home any lady friends without locking the little fiend in the bathroom!"

Sam laughed! Partly at the story and partly out of relief. He was almost 100 percent sure he had found Caramel's owner.

Caramel didn't come around for almost two weeks. Every day Sam watched for Gabriel on his morning run. He even started going for evening walks. Never spied him.

It was on a Saturday morning that she visited next. Just when Sam was debating making the bakery a daily stop for himself, he heard a tiny mew at his window.

215, you have stunning eyes. I never saw them up close before.

Sam picked up Caramel and shut his window without letting her back out.

Sam had had enough. If Gabriel wanted his cat back he would have to come get her. He had no clue what hours Gabriel actually worked, whether he let the cat out before he went to work and let her back in when he got home or if he left a window open for the cat to come and go as she pleased. Sam really had no clue, so he took the top from a file box and emptied his paper shredder into it and hoped if she needed a litter box that she would use that. Using paper bowls, he put water in one. He had cans of tuna. He figured if she got hungry he would feed her some of that.

Sam waited.

He found out that Caramel was quite the lap cat. She loved being cuddled and had a motor on her that rivaled Dean’s Chevy Impala. He was quite happy having some company around, even if she was underfoot unless she was being held. Gabriel clearly doted on her. Her fur was soft, she didn't have cat breath, her nails were trimmed. No sign of fleas even though she seemed to be outside a lot. 

It was almost midnight when there was a knock on his door. Sam peeked out the window beside his door. There was Gabriel, looking like he was running his hands through his hair for how ruffled it was. Sam watched Gabriel knock frantically again. 

Sam cracked open his door but left it chained

"Hello, it's Gabriel right?”

Gabriel looked like he didn't know if Sam honestly didn't know his name or if he was playing stupid. 

"I know, I'm a coward, but have you seen Caramel? She's always home by now, she's never out after dark!" 

Sam rolled his eyes and unchained his door, opening it fully with Caramel in his arms.

Gabriel reached for Caramel. 

"Oh sweetie, I was so worried!" Sam pulled her away from his hands. Gabriel stared at him. 

Just to be a shit, Sam smiled while he said, "Wait, I don't know for sure that you're her owner. I can't just turn her over to anyone!"

"C'mon Sam!"

"Oh, it's not 215 anymore?" Sam shook his head. "Nope, I'm not handing this darling girl over unless you can prove she’s yours."

Gabriel stood there on Sam's porch looking like a fish gasping for air. 

"How do I prove that?"

"Well, she has a name tag with a phone number but no address. If I called this phone number, would your cell phone ring?" 

Gabriel visibly gulped when Sam pulled his cellphone out of his back pocket and started dialing. 

Asia's Heat of The Moment starting blaring from Gabriel's back pocket and he closed his eyes. 

He took a deep breath. 

"Can I have her back now and retreat with my tail between my legs?" 

Sam handed Caramel over. She cuddled into Gabriel's neck and began purring. Gabriel whispered a thank you and turned away. 

As he was leaving Sam yelled from the porch, "Uh Gabe? You might want to check her collar. I left a reply."

Sam locked up for the night and went to bed. 

**********

He woke up Sunday morning and went for his run. He came home and, as expected, midway through yoga there was a meow at his window followed by a voice. 

"Hey Sam, nice rump."

Sam chuckled. 

"Hey Gabe, c'mon in."

Gabe smiled, but looked unsure as he entered Sam's house. 

“So uh, you said bring breakfast."

Sam waved Gabe toward the kitchen. 

"I did. Come sit down, I made coffee."

Gabriel put Caramel down and she quickly made herself at home on Sam's couch. 

In the kitchen, Sam handed Gabe a mug of coffee. "Mildred told me how you like your coffee." Gabe smirked and even blushed and took the mug. 

Sam took the container from Gabriel's hand. He peeked inside and saw something that looked like casserole and smelled like every wonderful breakfast Sam ever ate all wrapped in one.

Sam breathed in the smell deeply. 

"I'm going to gain so much weight dating you."

Gabe choked on his coffee. 

"Da- date? Did you say date? Why would you want to date me?" 

Sam stood up and got plates out of the cupboard. 

"I'm a lawyer, you know. I research a lot. I've been asking around about you since I figured out that you were writing the notes." 

Gabriel looked worried. 

"Mildred and Rowena say you had a slightly criminal past but got your act together after college. Lived with your cousin while you changed career paths to your passion, which is food. Been an honest man ever since."

"Chuck says you built your business from scratch, working 16 hours a day at first by yourself until you could hire people. You made up the recipes yourself that only your most trusted employees get to use in the kitchen. Now you're able to sit back and manage, inspect quality, and run the place that you love."

Gabe could only stare in awe.

"I’ve heard about you throwing the best community picnics, adopting or finding homes for any stray that comes around. You're the best in the community for Halloween candy and Easter egg hunts, and you have a gift bag and presents for every single house at Christmas or whatever holiday it is that they celebrate. Neighborhood kids like hanging out with you and voluntarily do your yard work because you're that awesome."

Gabe stared at the floor. 

"Well if they're at my place, they're not getting into the kind of trouble I got into at that age."

"You always buy fundraiser crap off of kids and give to every charity that comes knocking. Missouri says you never miss your volunteer days at the outreach center. Even grumpy old Rufus likes you."

Sam didn't think Gabe's eyes could get any wider. 

"You know, everyone I talk to says you're not shy, you actually like being the center of attention, so I have to ask, why so shy with me?" Sam handed Gabe a plate with a kind smile. 

"I don't know, look at you?! Tall, tan and toned!" Gabe replied, not meeting Sam's eyes at all as he dishes out his breakfast casserole. "And then look at me."

Sam put his hand over Gabe's. 

"I AM looking at you." Gabe met his eyes now. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me Gabe, but honestly I think I'm the one lacking in this relationship."

Gabe began to protest, but Sam lightly place a finger over Gabe's lips. 

“Will you let me take you out on a date tonight Gabe?” 

Gabe's eyes went even wider, and since Sam still had a finger over his mouth he only nodded.

Sam smiled and they had breakfast at Sam's kitchen table and talked about their lives while Caramel wound herself through their legs under the table.


End file.
